Ampersand Lab

Foundation grammar · Lesson 108 · A2

to, in, at (places 3)

Use to for movement (go to Rome, come to the party) and in or at for being somewhere (live in Rome, be at the party). Say go home and be at home, never go to home. Arrive in a country or town, arrive at other places, and get to anywhere; get home and arrive home take no preposition.

Start the lesson

17Steps · about 32 minutes

In this lesson

go to ... / be in ... or at ...A2 screens of questions
homeB2 screens of questions
arrive and getC2 screens of questions
Put it together+6 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 3

go to ... / be in ... or at ...

go / come / return / walk (etc.) to ... = movement towards a place.

be / stay / do something (etc.) in ... or at ... = being in a place. (See units 106 and 107 for in and at.)

  • We're going to Rome next month.
  • I'd love to go to Japan.
  • We walked from the station to the hotel.
  • When do the kids usually go to bed?
  • The coach is going to the airport.
  • Leo didn't go to college yesterday.
  • I went to a barbecue last night.
  • You must come to our flat for dinner.
  • The Colosseum is in Rome.
  • My cousin lives in Japan.
  • Most of the restaurants are in the old town.
  • I like reading in bed.
  • The coach is at the airport.
  • Leo wasn't at college yesterday.
  • I met him at a barbecue.
  • Mia stayed at her sister's flat.

Point A · Exercise 108.1 · part 1 of 2

Write to or in.

Use these

toin

  1. Example

    I like reading in bed.

    AnswerI like reading in bed.

  2. We're going Portugal in the summer.

  3. Ben is on holiday Portugal at the moment.

  4. I need to go the post office this afternoon.

  5. It was Sunday, so I stayed bed until ten.

Point A · Exercise 108.1 · part 2 of 2

Write to or in.

Use these

toin

  1. What time do your children go bed?

  2. Does this tram go the city centre?

  3. Would you like to work another country?

Point B of 3

home

go / come / walk (etc.) home has no to.

be / stay / do something (etc.) at home.

  • I'm exhausted. I'm going home. (not to home)
  • Did you get a taxi home?
  • I'm staying at home tonight.
  • "Where's Mia?" "At home."

Point B · Exercise 108.2 · part 1 of 2

Write to or at if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toat-

  1. Example

    Leo didn't go to college yesterday.

    AnswerLeo didn't go to college yesterday.

  2. Example

    I'm exhausted. I'm going - home.

    AnswerI'm exhausted. I'm going home.

  3. Kate has a bad cough. She's gone the doctor's.

  4. Would you like to come a barbecue on Sunday?

  5. "Is Omar home?" "No, he's gone work."

  6. There were 50,000 people the concert.

Point B · Exercise 108.2 · part 2 of 2

Write to or at if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toat-

  1. Why did you go home so early on Saturday?

  2. The dog jumped into the lake and swam the other side.

  3. There was a long queue the taxi rank.

  4. We had a lovely lunch a café and then went back the campsite.

Point C of 3

arrive and get

With a country or a town, say arrive in: arrive in Spain, arrive in Madrid.

With any other place, say arrive at: arrive at the station, arrive at work.

get to works for every kind of place: get to the hotel, get to Madrid.

get home and arrive home have no preposition at all.

  • They arrived in Scotland on Tuesday. (not arrived to Scotland)
  • When did your coach arrive at the hostel? (not arrive to the hostel)
  • When did your coach get to the hostel?
  • What time did you get to Madrid?
  • I was shattered when I got home. (or when I arrived home)

Point C · Exercise 108.4 · part 1 of 2

Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. What time do you usually get college?

  2. What time do you usually get home?

  3. When did the band arrive the festival?

  4. When did you arrive Dublin?

Point C · Exercise 108.4 · part 2 of 2

Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. What time does the ferry get Calais?

  2. We arrived home just after midnight.

Put it together · Exercise 108.3 · part 1 of 4

Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. Example

    I'm not going anywhere this evening. I'm staying at home.

    AnswerI'm not going anywhere this evening. I'm staying at home.

  2. We're going a gig on Friday night.

  3. I went Berlin two years ago.

  4. How long did you stay Berlin?

  5. Next summer we're hoping to go Iceland.

Put it together · Exercise 108.3 · part 2 of 4

Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. Shall we go the theatre on Saturday?

  2. Is there a cashpoint the station?

  3. After the crash, two drivers were taken hospital.

  4. How often do you go the optician's?

Put it together · Exercise 108.3 · part 3 of 4

Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. "Is Ruth here?" "No, she's Paul's."

  2. Our flat is the end of the road on the right.

  3. I went Sam's flat, but he wasn't home.

  4. The last bus had gone, so we had to walk home.

Put it together · Exercise 108.3 · part 4 of 4

Write to, at or in if necessary. Sometimes there is no preposition: then type a dash (-).

Use these

toatin-

  1. "What did you study university?" "I never went university."

Put it together · Exercise 108.5 · part 1 of 2

Complete these sentences about yourself. Use to, in or at. The answers below are examples; yours will be different.

  1. Example

    At four o'clock this morning I was ...

    At four o'clock this morning I was asleep in bed.

    Example answerAt four o'clock this morning I was asleep in bed.

  2. Yesterday I went ...

  3. At eleven o'clock yesterday morning I was ...

  4. One day I'd like to go ...

  5. I don't like going ...

Put it together · Exercise 108.5 · part 2 of 2

Complete these sentences about yourself. Use to, in or at. The answers below are examples; yours will be different.

  1. At nine o'clock yesterday evening I was ...

Lesson 108 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: under, behind, opposite etc.Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. go to ... / be in ... or at ...–Not checkedB. home–Not checkedC. arrive and get–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked

Practise the words

PrepositionsEvery entry, with examples you can hearExercise setsPrepositions, beginner to advanced